ou are a good farmer as well as an electrician," Mr.
Fernald said.

"Oh, I was brought up on a farm, sir."

The great man rose.

"Well, mind you don't let your electricity make you forget your
farming," cautioned he, not unkindly. "We need you right where you are.
Still I will own electricity is a pleasant pastime. You will have a
current to work with now whenever you want to play with it. Just be
sure you don't get a short circuit and blow out my dynamo."

"Do--do--you really mean I may use the current for experiments?"
demanded Ted.

Whether Mr. Fernald had made his remarks in jest or expected them to be
taken seriously was not apparent; and if he were surprised at having
the boy catch him up and hold him to account, he at least displayed not
a trace of being taken unawares. For only an instant was he thoughtful,
and that was while he paused and studied the countenance of the lad
before him.

"Why, I don't know that I see any harm in your using the current for
reasonable purposes," he answered slowly, after an interval of
meditation. "You understand the dangers of running too many volts
through your body and of crossing wires, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, sir," laughed Ted.

"I must confess I should not trust every boy with such a plaything,"
continued the magnate, "but you seem to have a good head on your
shoulders and I guess we can take a chance on you." He moved silently
across the room but on the threshold he turned and added with
self-conscious hesitancy, "By the way my--my--son, Mr. Laurie, chances
to be interested in electricity, too. Perhaps some day he might drop in
here and have a talk about this sort of thing."

"I wish he would."

With a quiet glance the father seemed to thank the lad for his simple
and natural reply. Both of them knew but too well that such an event
could never be a casual happening, and that if poor Mr. Laurie ever
_dropped in_ at the shack it would be only when he was brought there,
either in his wheel-chair or in the arms of some of the servants from
Pine Lea. Nevertheless it was obvious that Mr. Fernald appreciated the
manner in which Ted ignored these facts and suppressed his surprise at
the unusual suggestion. Had Mr. Laurie's dropping in been an ordinary
occurrence no one could have treated it with less ceremony than did
Ted.

An echo of the gratitude the capitalist felt lingered in his voice when
he said good night. It was both gentle and husky with emotion and the
lad